MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2018) Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were able to openly discuss major international issues at their recent meeting in Germany, Russia's Federation Council's member Konstantin Kosachev said Sunday.
Merkel and Putin met on Saturday in Meseberg, not far from Berlin, where the chancellor's retreat is located.
"The assessment of these talks as 'in-depth, timely and useful' definitely inspires optimism. For me, it is about the fact that it was possible to frankly discuss all key international issues, as well as about the understanding shared yesterday by the Russian and German leaders of the importance of facilitating the two dialogue formats: between the two countries' business communities, and between the civil societies," the Foreign Affairs Committee chairman wrote on Facebook.
Kosachev added that the Russian-German talks were an event of global importance.
"The reason is that the global events depend on the Russian-German dialogue no less, and, perhaps, even more, than on the contacts between Moscow and Washington," the lawmaker said.
Kosachev stressed that Russian and German interests were aligned more than before, citing the two countries' interest in Nord Stream 2 projected pipeline and Russian gas deliveries. Both countries are wary of the consequences of the US sanctions for the Russian-EU cooperation as well as of the US withdrawal from Iran's nuclear deal, the lawmaker added.
Kosachev pointed out that both countries had a stake in the ongoing conflict in Syria: for Russia it is about "military and political expenses," while Germany is concerned with the influx of refugees.
